Giants must make difficult offseason decisions before free agency heats up

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San Francisco Giants’ Joe Panik follows through on an RBI single next to New York Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

DENVER–When the Giants added recent acquisition Abiatal Avelino to their roster Tuesday, they created space for the infielder by transferring right-hander Jeff Samardzija to a suddenly crowded 60-day disabled list.

Samardzija is one of five Giants players on the 60-day disabled list, joining catcher Buster Posey, pitcher Johnny Cueto, outfielder Steven Duggar and Rule 5 draftee Julian Fernández who missed the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The 60-day disabled list is a wonderful utility for teams facing in-season roster crunches, as it allows franchises to add players to their 40-man roster without subjecting another player to the waiver wire. However, it’s a utility that disappears in the offseason and when that occurs, the Giants will face several challenging decisions.

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The five Giants on the 60-day disabled list must be placed back on the 40-man roster five days after the conclusion of the World Series, meaning San Francisco will need to free up five 40-man roster spots. Though the Giants will also lose a handful of players to free agency, they’ll still need space on their 40-man roster if they want to sign free agents, acquire major league talent through trades and protect up-and-coming prospects from the Rule 5 draft.

The club only has four pending free agents –outfielder Hunter Pence, outfielder Gregor Blanco, catcher Nick Hundley and left-handed pitcher Derek Holland– but they also have a handful of minor leaguers who will need to be protected on the 40-man roster for the first time this offseason.

2015 fourth round draft choice Jalen Miller had an excellent season with Single-A San Jose in the California League and the Giants may want to ensure they can retain him, even if it’s unlikely he’ll be selected by another franchise in the Rule 5 draft. 2014 fourth round pick Logan Webb was one of the best arms in the organization this season, and he might be the strongest candidate among eligible pitchers to take a 40-man spot.

Two-time Triple-A All-Star relief pitcher Tyler Rogers probably should have been added already and given the chance to showcase his talents in September, but the Giants elected to pass on that opportunity which may hint they won’t shield Rogers from the Rule 5 draft.

Right-handers Jordan Johnson, Sam Coonrod and Dusten Knight may also merit consideration as 40-man roster additions, but finding spots will be a difficult task this offseason.

For all the criticism vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean and general manager Bobby Evans have taken for signing marquee free agents who failed to pan out, the Giants’ front office has done a nice job through the years of building out the back end of its roster.

Minor league free agents Dereck Rodríguez and Alen Hanson are two of this season’s bright spots while Holland has been one of the most effective pitchers in the division since the start of June. There are several other examples the Giants can point to as to why depth is so pivotal, but part of building depth is ensuring the 40-man roster is loaded with players who can contribute on the 25-man roster.

That’s why the Giants are forced to evaluate the short and long-term potential of pitchers like Derek Law, Josh Osich and Casey Kelly, who all own 40-man spots, as well as players like Avelino and Kelby Tomlinson, who is out of options and spent a considerable portion of the season at Triple-A Sacramento.

Challenging decisions aren’t limited to players on the fringe of the 40-man roster, either.

Second baseman Joe Panik’s future is in question after injuries and struggles at the plate cost him playing time in 2018. The Giants may end up non-tendering Panik if they choose to start shaking up the core of their roster, which would make Panik a free agent.

Relievers Sam Dyson and Hunter Strickland are also non-tender candidates, as the Giants must weigh the benefit of having established veterans in the bullpen with the reality that both players will become more expensive next year.

The non-tender deadline actually occurs at the beginning of December and after free agency starts, which will allow the Giants a bit of time to wade through the market and consider ways they’ll want to upgrade next year.

After a 98-loss season in 2017 and another underwhelming campaign this year, the Giants may ultimately be best served to make some significant changes to the back end of the roster before attempting to layer the front end of it with talent acquired in free agency or via trades.